Folding pack axe



May 28, 1957 w m N, 5 2,793,664

' FOLDING PACK AXE Filed May 20, 1955 I N V EN TOR. FRED R .Wnnm NCaTON S 71 WWW/71mm w AT TOEM EYS United States Patent O FQLDING PACK AXE Fred R. Warrington, Sr., Cascade, Mont. Application May 20, 1955, Serial No. 509,726

2 Claims. (Cl. 145--2) This invention relates to improvements in folding axes and like tools.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved ax of this type having a folding handle assembly involving a main latch and a safety or auxiliary latch so arranged relative to the handle sections and to one another as -to insure, first, that when the tool is unfolded for use the handle will be completely rigid and of suflicient strength to Withstand heavy shocks incurred duringuse of the tool; and second, to insure thatthe handle will not accidentally collapse when the tool is in use.

Another object is to provide a tool as described which, though equipped with main and safety latches is capable of being quickly adjusted either to a folded or to a use position.

Still another object is to provide a tool as stated wherein the head or blade of the tool, when the tool is folded is engaged in a recess of one of the handle sections, where it is protectively enclosed.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the ax according to the present invention, partly broken away, in unfolded condition;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure l in which the ax is folded.

The illustrated tool comprises a head or blade to which is integrally or otherwise rigidly connected a first handle section 12. The handle section 12 is fiat and straight from end to end thereof and has a closed longitudinal slot 14 adjacent to its inner end 13. The outer end of the slot 14 is in communication with a socket 16 which is disposed the outer end of a compression coil spring 18 circumposed on a latch plunger shank having on its inner end laterally outwardly directed lugs 22, knurled or otherwise roughened at their outer ends to provide finger knobs or buttons for extracting the plunger latch toward the left in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings against the resistance of the spring 18, whose inner end is engaged with the lugs 22.

A second handle section 24 has on its inner end 23 laterally spaced longitudinal arm 25. The inner end of the handle section 12 is engaged between the arms 25, as shown in Figure 2, and is pivotally connected to said arms by means of a pivot pin 26.

The arms 25 are formed in their free ends 27 with notches 28 arranged to receive the lugs 22 of the latch.

p 2,793,664 Patented May 28, 1957 A main latch on the second handlesection 24 comprises a flat-sided plunger 30 having a beveled inner end 32 for engagement in a correspondingly beveled notch 34 formed in the inner end 13 of the handle section 12. At its outer end the latch plunger 39 is integrally formed with laterally outwardly directed, roughened projections 36 comprising finger-engaging buttons to be used for retracting the plunger 30, that is shifting the same to the right in Figures 1 and 2, against the resistance of a compression coil spring 38 circumposed about a reduced stem 40 formed on the outer end of the plunger 30 and compressed between the outer end of the plunger 30 and the outer end of a longitudinal slot 42 formed in and extending through the side plates 43 of thehandle section 24. The buttons 36 workin the slot portions 45 of the slot 42. The spring 42 urges the plunger 30 to the left in Figure 2, to engage its beveled end 32 in the notch 34 so asto lock the handle sections in their unfolded positions. of use. When the handle sections are to be folded, the buttons 36 are shifted to theright in Figures .1v and 2, to disengage the plunger 30 from the notch 34.

The second handle section 24 comprises a pair of longitudinally contacting, oppositely but identically formedplates 43 disposed in side-by-side relation and coextensive in length, one of said plates 43 having thereon one of the arms 25 and the other-plate43 having the other fork arm 25. Connecting said plates-43 fixedly together .at locations spaced longitudinally thereof-are .headedpins 44,46 and 48. The plates 43 are laterally spaced from each other from the outer end 45 of the slot 42 to the inner end of the handle section 24 and thereby define the slot 42.

The laterally inward sides of the plates 43, outwardly of the slot 42, are formed with communicating, shallow recesses 50, cooperating to define a deep groove 53 receiving the blade 1ft when the handle sections are in their folded relationship.

In this relationship of the handle sections, they are at an acute angle to one another, as shown in Figure 3.

The longitudinal edge 54 of the first handle section 12 is arranged to bear against the beveled end 32 of the latch plunger 36 in the folded condition of the aX, as shown in Figure 3, so that the handle section 12 is held by the plunger 36 in its folded position with the head 10 in the groove 53.

The inner end of the handle section 24 is rounded to provide cam surfaces 52 for engaging the latch plunger 22 to assure a smooth retraction of the plunger 22 as the sections move into their positions of longitudinal alignment.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a folding tool, first and second handle sections having inner and outer ends, said first handle section having a spring-pressed longitudinal auxiliary latch plunger having an inner end, lateral lugs on the inner end of said latch plunger, said inner end of said latch plunger being longitudinally spaced from the inner end of said first handle section, said second handle section having a longi tudinal slot having a closed outer end located intermediate the ends of said second section and an inner end opening through the inner end of said second handle, said longitudinal slot being defined by laterally spaced plates extending from the closed end of the slot to the inner end of said second handle section, inner end portions of said plates constituting arms, and the part of the first handle section between the inner end of the auxiliary latch plunger and the inner end of said first section defining an inner end portion disposed between said arms, a pivot traversing said arms and said inner end portion and connecting the handle sections together for movement relative to each other from an aligned relation to a folded angulated relation, said arms having inner ends formed with notches arranged to be engaged by said lugs for the auxiliary latch plunger only in the aligned relation of the handle sections, a main longitudinal spring-pressed latch plunger positioned in the slot of the second handle section between said plates, said main plunger having laterally outwardly extending buttons and said plates having longitudinal slots receiving the buttons, said main plunger having a beveled inner end, and said inner end of the first handle section having a conformably beveled notch arranged to receive the beveled inner end of the main plunger only in the aligned relation of the handle sections.

2. In a folding tool, first and second handle sections having inner and outer ends, said first handle section having a spring-pressed longitudinal auxiliary latch plunger having an inner end, lateral lugs on the inner end of said latch plunger, said inner end of said latch plunger being longitudinally spaced from the inner end of said first handle section, said second handle section having a longitudinal slot having a closed outer end located intermediate the ends of said second section and an inner end opening through the inner end of said second handle, said longitudinal slot being defined by laterally spaced plates extending from the closed end of the slot to the inner 4 end of said second handle section, inner end portions of said plates constituting arms, and the part of the first handle section between the inner end of the auxiliary latch plunger and the inner end of said first section defining an inner end portion disposed between said arms, a pivot traversing said arms and said inner end portion and connecting the handle sections together for movement relative to each other from an aligned relation to a folded angulated relation, said arms having inner ends formed with notches arranged to be engaged by said lugs for the auxiliary latch plunger on'ly in the aligned relation of the handle sections, a main longitudinal springpressed latch plunger positioned in the slot of the second handle section between said plates, said main plunger having laterally outwardly extending buttons and said plates having longitudinal slots receiving the buttons, said main plunger having a beveled inner end, and said inner end of the first handle section having a conformably beveled notch arranged to receive the beveled inner end of the main plunger only in the aligned relation of the handle sections, said first handle section having a longitudinal edge arranged to conformably and retainably engage the beveled inner end of the main latch plunger in the angulated relation of the handle sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,041,416 Bilbro Oct. 15, 1912 1,074,764 Winship Oct. 7, 1913 1,189,005 Seely June 27, 1916 1,220,858 Klepsch Mar. 27, 1917 1,614,949 Finley Jan. 18, 1927 

